Ode to Emma

 

2008 Coffin Races

 

This past weekend, Dan and I went for the second year to Manitou Springs’ annual coffin races. What is cool about this event, besides the people watching, is the story of how the event came to be. To give you a bit of history, the races are for a woman named Emma Crawford who came to Manitou at the turn of the century in a quest to heal herself from tuberculosis. You see there are many springs around this town (hence the name), and many people came here thinking that they possessed healing properties. Emma enjoyed hiking and one day went on a hike up Red Mountain. The hike was a bit too much for her though, because shortly thereafter, she became very ill and passed away. Her wish was to be buried at the top of Red Mountain and it was granted shortly after her passing. However, years later, the weather patterns of Colorado began to take their toll on the summit. One day the granite mountain top gave way and Emma’s remains were washed down the side of the mountain into the town. The coffin races were formed 14 years ago to honor Emma and her love for Red Mountain. 

So basically, the Emma honoring is done in 3 ways.

1.The Friday night before the races, a wake is held for Emma. Yes, by wake, I mean the funeral kind of wake… I have never been so I can’t tell you for sure, but I think the coffin remains closed… haha!

2. On Saturday afternoon a parade is held. This involves a parade of hearses followed by a march of all the teams who will be racing up and down the street. Have I told you that each team needs to have some sort of theme? That is one of the best parts. The themes are often ridiculous and sometimes very funny. My personal favorite is the hillbilly team. They also were in the race and parade last year:

 

Wister - That's his wife and his sister!

The chilluns

Hillbilly Parading

Notable teams/parade goers from this year also include:

Political Team 08 - McCain and Obama were also represented - this was the best picture I got though - ha! Palin makes me laugh :0)

Flame Thowing Hearse - see flames below

Yes - these were directly above my head

Creepy Clown

Forest Gnomes

I have no idea what this guy is supposed to be but his costume rocked!

Look at this woman's eyes

This team meant business

Uncle Fester with the Adaams

 

3. The teams face off in a race down the street with their coffins. Each team must race with an Emma in the coffin and the best time wins. 

 

I have a million more photos but this post is getting out of control with the imagery I’ll leave you with Dan and I at the race.

Dan and I at the Races

We can’t wait until next year!

xo Ash

debate

i think dan should put something like this together.

i’m gunna go workout, ill post more later.

Carving Pumpkins

So I now know the hardest part about this blog thing… Actually finding the time to create a worthwhile post.

Did you know October is my favorite month of the year? It is! I love so many things about this month it is ridiculous. The first thing I love, is the annual pumkin carving party my friends Amy and Jesse have.

Last weekend I went to their 3rd annual party. This was the best year yet! I also had my best pumpkin design out of the 3 years. It has become increasingly competitive, so I had to come up with something unique this year in order to even compete. 

Here is a photo from last year’s entrants:

 

2007 Entries

Can you guess the one I made? It is a coyote howling at the moon (3rd from the left). And no, I did not win in 2007. People were more creative than I was

This year the bar was raised. Here is my personal favorite:

 

Pumpkin Spaceship

This pumkin actually lit up and the aliens are made out of gourds. How creative! Amazingly this was not the winner. Instead, this guy who used a template of Obama’s profile won. Lame, right?

Anyway – here is a pic of all of the entries:

Entries 2008

And here is my awesome creation:

Hear No Evil

See No Evil

Speak No Evil

I had a few different sugar pumpkins in the house that morning and decided to create a series of 3. They are very hard to carve though, so I will probably not use them again. Anyway – aren’t they cute!

Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil

Today I am heading over to Manitou Springs to watch the annual Coffin Races, which is one of the best events of the year. It is quite a spectacle, so I will be sure to post some photos tomorrow.

Have a great Saturday 

xo Ash

flu shot

so obviously mom insisted that i get a flu shot this year, just like every other year. so being my brave self I decided I would get one at MSU with out her by my side…. but instead I had one of my roommates come. I got to the health center, and of course got put with a crazy nurse, and long story short, 2 minutes after i got the shot, i nearly passed out, i couldn’t hear/see anything, and my blood pressure had dropped from 120/80, to 80/60 (?) or something crazy like that. they brought me (more like rolled me in a wheelchair) to the psych department (because i’m obviously psychotic) and had a doctor examine me,  but i was fine after 15 minutes or so. I guess i’m just a little crazy when it comes to shots.  what can i say? i’m sure i inherited it from dads side of the family.

i love both the blackberry and the mac.  wanna get me one of them for Christmas? that would be great, thanks! also – i’m currently missing my burberry scarf! i’m so pissed. don’t tell mom though.  i thought it was in my closet from last winter, but i can’t find it anywhere. ugh.

So i havnt eaten anything all day, because i just slept for the past 4 hours, so I am currently excited for…….

sushi!! i think i may order some for din! yum!

ok love you! Melis

Tech Cravings

Melis -

I have technology cravings today. Have you seen this?

 

Storm

 

What about the new Macbook?

Macbook 2008

I can totally afford these… right? Today I am carving pumpkins and can not wait! I also have to find new paint colors for my dining room because the brown paint did not work out the way I had planned. Oh well! I will post my pumpkin art for you later. Have a great Sautrday.

 

xo Ash

Nice header!

How do you do things like that? I love it! Here’s another favorite pic of mine:

Why? Because I have to post a photo of my pup! You should see him now – he is like 6 times the size of that picture.

Anyway, I promise I’ll write a better post tomorrow. My brain is fried from work tonight. Thanks for the new header. It looks awesome!

sunday nights

ash -

wow, i never realized how relaxing blogging could be.  after a long day of acting (i will explain later) i find myself laying on my bed, with a vanilla candle lit, watching nanny mcphee, and blogging to my sister.  what a perfect sunday night!

i participated in a group project today, where we filmed a play-off of charlies angels… only we were ’spartys angels’, and my group members insisted that I be an angel.  let me just tell you that it was the longest 5 hours of my life. thank god i am not aspiring to be an actress.  it would be like you wanting to be a story teller.  bad news.

after not eating for 5 hours i was starving, so eric and I met for sushi. yum! so now i am lying in my bed (because i obviously can’t move due to the expansion of my stomach) blogging.

Since you chose a topic that consists of funny pictures of me, i decided that i needed a topic. 

drumb roll please………………………. things i am excited for! 

i am currently excited for the holidays!  after being with the family this past weekend, it got me so excited for the holidays!  I know they will be great this year.

Also, with the holidays coming up it also means that starbucks will soon be changing their cups to the christmas red color, keep an eye out for it,it’s great! 

can’t wait for the next post! love you

Haha! We’ve Got a Blog

Melis -

I set up a blog for us and this is it! It needs your help though. We need a nicer header and I figure you probably have better pictures than I do and have more talent for these kinds of creative things. I’ll send you all of the info in a bit so you can change it out and update this as you like. No deleting though! That is not allowed.

I really don’t know how to blog, so I figure I need to start off with a topic or series. My first series will include some of my favorite photos of you. I will be posting this from now through Halloween which I know is making you really happy.

Here is the first one below (I think the sunglasses make me laugh the most):

Melissa Anne

ha! 

Anyway – thanks for my cool new scarf! I love it and get lots of compliments on it. Now I just need to figure out how to wear it in proper ways. Anyway – enjoy our new blog and post away I’ m off to paint my dining room and will post the results later.

Love ya
Ash